Tanner Horner’s ex-girlfriend spoke of her relationship with the admitted killer as jurors decide whether to sentence him to life in prison or death

Athena Strand; Tanner Lynn Horner.

Athena Strand; Tanner Lynn Horner.Credit : Texas EquuSearch/Facebook; AP/Shutterstock

An ex-girlfriend of Tanner Horner testified that one incident after their breakup left her deeply concerned about his mental state, years before the FedEx driver killed Athena Strand after encountering the 7-year-old on his delivery route.

“He did come to my house one time to ask for clarification of what was going on. And he walked about 20 miles to my house,” the woman, identified only as Reba, told jurors, according to NBC DFW.

Defendant Tanner Horner listens to testimony at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in his trial for the 2022 killing of 7-year-old Athena Strand.

Amanda McCoy/Star-Telegram via AP

Reba said she and Horner first dated in high school and described him at the time as “sweet and endearing.” But after their breakup, she said she became worried about his behavior.

She testified that the two later reconnected as adults and briefly resumed a romantic relationship, though it ultimately ended after about three months. Horner, she said, “wanted more of a friends-with-benefits type of thing,” according to NBC DFW.

Athena Strand
Wise County Sheriff’s Department

Reba said the relationship ended again because Horner was not ready to be a father and wanted to focus on his music.

Horner pleaded guilty to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping on April 7, PEOPLE previously reported. Jurors are now deciding whether to sentence him to death or life in prison without parole.

Athena Strand in FedEx truck with Tanner Horner
NBC DFW/YouTube

Strand, 7, disappeared from her family’s Wise County driveway on Nov. 30, 2022, while Horner was delivering a package to the home, PEOPLE previously reported. Prosecutors say he abducted her and killed her inside his truck. Jurors have since been shown video and audio from inside the vehicle capturing her abduction and final moments.

Her body was later found in a rural creek two days after she vanished, and the medical examiner determined she died from blunt force trauma, smothering and strangulation.

Jurors have also heard from other defense witnesses in recent days, including a former pastor and Horner’s mother, as attorneys focus on his background and behavior ahead of the sentencing decision.